


The White Wolf and the Redhead Girl

by TheSilverFoxQueen



Category: Mad Max Series (Movies)
Genre: Ace Lives, F/F, F/M, Fix-It, Nux Lives, Shapeshifting, Slit Lives, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-23 06:27:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16613669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSilverFoxQueen/pseuds/TheSilverFoxQueen
Summary: After Nux crashes the War Rig, he is found by a man that hails from a group known as the Alliel. Nux is saved by them, but is given what can be described as a "gift". The ability to shapeshift into a wolf.





	1. The Sandy Wolf and the Dying Boy

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Mad Max fic written while I was sick. The Alliel in the story are of my own creation with some aspects or concepts borrowed from other other fandoms. More will be explained as the story unfolds!
> 
> The first part might be boring and it is unbeta'd so pardon any grammatical or spelling errors I make.

The Gigahorse drove through the canyon with the War Rig following behind. And then the wheel was wrenched to the side and the rig tipped and hit the ground.

A sand-colored figure sat on a rocky outcropping, watching the chase go down. He saw the exchange between the boy with scarred lips and the girl with fiery hair. He saw the boy’s sacrifice. The male made a decision.

Padding down from the side of the canyon, he made nimble leaps to get down to the floor of the canyon. He picked his way through the mess of metal to the cabin of the rig. His sensitive ears could pick up rasped breaths as he found the boy breathing his last.

The male was careful to pull him out of the wreckage. He could see bones sticking out of the skin and blood flowed freely from the wounds. Under the copper smell was the scent of sickness and the bumps on his neck confirmed it. 

The male lowered his head to the side of the boy’s neck that wasn't with tumors and his fangs sunk into the white skin. It was a quick bite and when the wolf puller away, he was a man with blond hair and amber eyes wearing leathers.

“I call upon thy spirits, thy ancestors to grant him thy gift of shifting. He has made an honorable sacrifice and I ask for a second chance for thee. I call upon thy spirits, thy ancestors in this time of need.”

The man watched as the boy’s body began to shake without his control and the blood stopped flowing. The ancestors heard his prayer and they had saved the boy. Carefully, the man picked up the newly-turned and began walking.

He had been walking for hours across the stretch of land that would have taken him not even an hour to cross in his shifted form. Finally he could see a rocky landform, a sight that made his speed quicken.

When he passed the line formed by rocks, he was met by a woman who didn't seem to be too surprised to see the man returning with someone in his arms.

“Who did you bring home this time, Alistaire?” The woman fell in stride with the man, curiously looking over the sight before her. He was badly injured and sickly, though she trusted that her brother had made a good judgement before bringing him in. She also caught sight of the unmistakable bite marks on the boy’s collarbone. If the boy was still alive, then he had made a good judge of character.

“I found him in a wreckage, Alastrine. He sacrificed himself to block the canyon. He deserves a second chance,” Alistaire replied and looked at his sister. 

“He’s one of the soldiers for the white-haired tyrant,” Alastrine said. She had seen them before, observing them from the safety of the outcroppings. They were martyrs who saw glory in death. What if he had been doing what all of them did?

“He was helping them,” Alistaire replied, “he turned against his own. I observed the chase with the man they call ‘Immortan Joe’ and a woman they call ‘Furiosa’. He was on the side of good. He deserves a second chance and the ancestors agreed.”

“We’ll take him to Gyllbane and see what she thinks,” Alastrine said.

Alistaire nodded and the two were silent as they got to the rocky landform. Others looked at them and at the boy in Alistaire’s arms. They saw one of the white-haired man’s soldiers but most trusted Alistaire and his judgment. They went unchallenged as the siblings entered the passage that led to a room with beds.

“Gyllbane!” Alastrine called for her friend and the older woman limped over. Her green eyes observed the scene before her before she made her decision.

“Put him in one of the alcoves,” she ordered and Alistaire complyed. The healer went to work, carefully working on the broken bones that were soon pushed back into place to heal. The bite would heal but the bones had to be set. When the healer was done, she stepped away and turned towards the siblings. “He will heal,” the woman said and then added, “I’ll send for you once the transformation finishes.”

“But-” Alistaire was about to protest.

“I have fended off more of my fair share of newly-turns, Alistaire.”

“I didn't mean that, but I just want to be there as the one who turned him.”

“You don't think I can tell if a newly-turned is about to wake up?”

“I didn't mean that,” Alistaire replied.

“Get out of my sight.”


	2. The Grey Wolf and the White Wolf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nux wakes up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again rushed and unbeta'd! Please pardon any grammar or spelling errors.
> 
> More will happen next chapter! I promise!

Gyllbane watched the boy with the scarred lips as day turned to night and then back to dawn. She could see the changes as the hours passed. His wounds were closing with only scars to mark where blood had once flowed freely. The tumors on his neck were disappearing as the bite made him healthy once again. She knew that the transformation could take anywhere from twelve hours to a week depending on the amount of injuries. And from what Alistaire had described to her and from what she had seen, she would be surprised if he awoke in two days.

She was surprised to see the signs of the boy waking up on the second day. His breathing was steady and she could see that he was healed. His body twitched every so often, his hands grasping the bedding under him that was starting to tear as his his nails shifted into claws every so often. 

The healer sent out a messenger to call for Alistaire and then she got out a large mirror. Alistaire arrived quickly as she expected. She knew how important it was for the one who changed the person to be present when they first awoke. It was almost an unspoken rule.

The pair didn't have to wait for very long as the boy began to shake once again, except it was more violent than before. His body began to shift between a large, leggy, white wolf and his human form. Finally the shaking stopped and the boy settled back down as a human and not a wolfml. And then his eyes opened to reveal a pair of bright blue eyes.

 

It had been dark and Nux didn't know how long it had been since he had crashed the War Rig. He wondered if he had made it to Valhalla and wondered who he would see there. Would he see Slit? Morsov? Ace?

His eyes opened and he found himself staring up at a rocky ceiling. He couldn't feel Barry and Larry gnawing on his windpipe. He wasn't in pain anymore. His stomach hurt, it was gnawing at him. Was this preparing him to dine eternal with heroes and legends?

Nux shot up when he heard someone clear their throat and he looked at the pair before him. An older woman and a man whom he didn't recognize. Neither of them he recognized.

“Is this Valhalla?” Nux asked, his voice raspy and unused. The two in front of him exchanged glances and Nux couldn't believe it. This was the fourth time that the gates had been open to him and he once again survived. 

_”Maybe it was your manifest destiny not to.”_

“No,” the man said in a confused tone. “You are in the healers den of the Sanctuary of the Alliel.”

Nux’s brow furrowed as he had never heard of this “Alliel” or “Sanctuary” before. He spared a quick glance towards his shoulder and was shocked to see that it was once smooth. He looked at his chest and almost sighed in relief as the scarification was still there. He saw the white cloth still wrapped around his wrist, miraculously intact and without blood. And then he remembered.

“I need to see Capable,” he said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. How long had he been out? Long enough for his injuries to be healed, but how long had that been? The man made a move to stop him. “She needs to know that I’m still alive.”

“Capable is the redhead?” the man asked and Nux nodded before he got to his feet. Slightly off balanced but nothing seemed wrong with him. How did they heal him so well?

“You can't see her yet,” the woman said and Nux looked at her. Why couldn't he see her? He was fine, wasn't he?

“We need to explain some things to you,” the man said and Nux shook his head as he was poised to run. He needed to see Capable.

“It can wait,” Nux said.

“Oh, screw it,” the woman said and the next thing Nux saw was a flash of teeth as a grey-furred form launched itself at him. Without realizing it, his body shifted as he avoided the attack. And then he found himself on four paws. He didn't even notice that his teeth had bared before he noticed the state his body was in. 

His eyes widened as he took notice of the large white paws tipped with black claws. He caught sight of the shiny object across from him and he padded towards it, leaving the grey wolf who had taken on a smug smile.

His fur was white with darker markings around his eyes and a spot on his nose. The scars on his face were visible as well as his scarred lips that were pink on his black lips. His eyes were blue like the sky. He was long-legged with lithe musculature and his fur was shorter. The newly-changed backed away.

“Wh-What did you do to me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated!


	3. The White Wolf and the Throwing Knife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nux learns a bit more about his circumstances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said something more interesting but I really do promise some more action next chapter! I apologize for the short chapter as I work on more action and probably something longer.
> 
> As always, pardon any mistakes!

“What is your name?” Gyllbane asked, skipping right past the boy’s question as she returned to her human form. Her eyes were still as green as leaves once were as she waited for an answer. “I’m sure your name isn't ‘boy’.”

“Nux,” the boy - Nux - replied. His hackles were raised and his tail hung limp between his legs. This wasn't the first newly-shifted she had guided through their first days and it wouldn't be her last.

“You are a shifter, Nux,” Alistaire continued with a calming voice as this wasn't his first time either. “You were dying when I found you and I chose to save your life. You are a wolf shifter now, a Lykos.”

“Why did you choose to save me?”

“Because you deserve a second chance,” Alistaire replied.

 

Nux had tipped the War Rig with only one thought in his mind, to keep them safe. He knew that he was doomed the second Rictus ripped the engine out and he wanted to keep them safe, especially Capable.

He had a second chance, though he didn't know what to do with it. He was a War Boy, he was fated to die behind the wheel as a driver and war was everything he knew. As a half-life, he knew that he was going to die early and what was better than going out in a blaze of glory?

“I’m no longer a half-life?” Nux asked as he looked up at the two Lykos. His heartbeat was starting to calm.

“No,” the woman said and added, “The bite heals.” She didn't seem as taken aback from his question as the man did. “My name is Gyllbane, by the way. And this is Alistaire.”

“How long was I been out for?” Nux asked as his body shifted back once his heart rate calmed down. He didn't realize it for a second before he awkwardly got back to his feet from his crouched position on his hands and feet.

“Two days,” Gyllbane replied, “Which was a hell of a miracle since you were so badly injured.”

“So I can go back - “ Nux struggled with the word that was unfamiliar on his tongue though now it seemed fitting, “home?” He trusted that Furiosa and the wives had made it back to the Citadel and were ruling it better than the Immortan ever had.

“Do you think we’ll send you back when you can barely control your shifting?” Gyllbane asked.

“What do you mean?” Nux asked. “I can control my-”

Without warning, Gyllbane whipped a knife out and threw it. The blade buried itself in the wall behind him and once again, Nux was looking at the world from five and a half feet.

“Exactly.”

“Gyllbane, don't scare him!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated!


	4. The White Wolf and the War Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nux is finally on his way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay more interesting stuff!
> 
> Do you guys think I'm writing Nux well? Does he seem a bit out of character? Anything I could do in the future to stay more in character?

It had taken some convincing for Nux to agree to staying, even with Alistaire and Gyllbane’s points about not being in control of his shifting. But he soon saw wisdom in their words as they trained him. He had never had mentors before as war boys rarely did. Oftentimes skills were learned on the job such as taking or throwing punches and rarely did someone have as much patience as Gyllbane or Alistaire.

Nux ran through the sands, finally allowed to leave the mountain and return to the Citadel. It had taken five days for the training to finish and it had been helpful. The wolf could barely run with the grace he was running with without their coaching and drills. Even Alastrine also joined in on their coaching.

Alastrine was fast and challenged him to races and Gyllbane taught him how to stalk the crows and lizards. She taught him how to hunt and stalk which he owed her for teaching him that life skill. He had never had to provide for himself since the Immortan had provided for the war boys in exchange for their worship of him. Now he could stand on his own. He also learned how to control the new body that he now had at his disposal and he was a far cry from the newly-shifted he had been days ago.

_“Try to catch up to me!” Alastrine barked as she took off, her gold and brown pelt becoming a blur as she raced across the sand. Nux tore after her, his longer legs eating up the distance between them though the wolf pulled a fast one and made a sharp turn._

_Now she raced towards the mountain and didn't stop when she got close to the wall. She made a flying leap and was scrambling up a ledge and not even pausing before she hopped up to the next ledge and scrambled up the rocks._

_Nux paused, never having climbed like this since he had been turned before he put all the power into his hind legs and jumped upwards. He scrambled up the rock face, slow compared to Alastrine but making progress. Finally, he scrambled up to the top to see the brown and gold wolf waiting for him._

_“How’d I do?”_

_“Good for your first time.”_

Alistaire helped him learn to control his shifting with Gyllbane’s occasional scares. He learned about the Lykos and the rules that all must follow. They were reasonable to say the least and some of them were important to follow lest he lose something important.

Never shift in front of others - those close to you and able of keeping a secret excluded - was the first rule he had learned and was why his mentors wanted him to learn how to control his shifting so he didn't shift the second his heart rate rose.

Never go a month without shifting had been the second rule as Nux learned that a month without shifting between forms would cause one to be stuck in one form. He had also learned of the moon’s effect on the Lykos, making them more likely to shift. But there was also another effect the first full moon had on the newly-shifted which Alistaire showed him.

_Alistaire diverged from his normal lesson plan of having Nux shift back and forth between two forms and trying to pause the change between certain phases. Instead, the man stood in front of Nux and explained to him the effect of the moon._

_“The moon is an important aspect of our lives. Our ancestors found that the full moon was the best time to hunt and night and that passed on to use as Lykos. The moon makes you restless and more likely to shift. Though the first full moon is always the most important.”_

_“Why?” Nux asked._

_Instead of describing it to him, Alistaire instead got to his feet and then before Nux could ask what he was doing, the man began to shift. Except it wasn't the fluid shifting that happened in a blink of an eye, it was something that took minutes to complete._

_The first change was the darkening of his nails that later sharpened into claws. His teeth began to sharpen as his ears lengthed before traveling to the top of his head. Fur began to sprout from his skin as his jaw and nose pushed out to form a muzzle. His legs cracked and changed, forcing him to walk on the balls of his feet. His body lengthened and grew to give him height and weight and the final change was the tail._

_“By Valhalla,” Nux breathed as Alistaire towered above him._

_“You will gain this ability after your first full moon,” the shifted male said. “It’ll be longer and there will be some pain, but after that moon, you will be able to shift into this form.”_

Nux heard the engine before he saw the rig and he shifted to his human form before the rig spotted him. He recognized the war boy at the wheel, Jag. The driver looked at him like he’d just seen a ghost. The rig stopped and Jag followed by Ripper and Cutter jumped out.

“Nux? Is that you?” Jag asked as he walked over as he saw someone who he had been told had died sacrificing himself to stop Immortan Joe’s men.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Nux said and added, “I guess Valhalla didn't want me.”

“But how?” Ripper piped up. He noticed that those two bumps on the side of the war boy’s neck weren't there anymore and Cutter was silent.

“I need to see Furiosa,” and Capable “I need to see her.” Nux didn't want to tell anyone what had happened until he saw the Imperator.

“Hop in,” Jag said, still trying to process the sight of his comrade that was supposed to be dead.


	5. The White Wolf and the Imperator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nux finally gets to the Citadel and meets with Furiosa and Max.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so Slit and Ace didn't die in this version and Max still stayed in the Citadel because I need this.

The boys filled Nux in on the state of the Citadel as they drove back. Furiosa was leader now, referred to as Imperator with a council made up of Max, the Sisters, and the remaining Vuvalini and also helped to rehabilitate the Citadel’s residents. 

The war boys no longer raided or did war which had been hard to grasp for some. Now they drove patrols around the Citadel’s land to protect it from others. The Milkers - now known as Mothers - helped by taking in the War Pups and trying to help them unlearn Immortan Joe’s teachings.

Gas Town and Bullet Town were under new management as remaining war boys fled to Bullet Town. One had declared himself leader, Slit was now Imperator. Bullet Town was now Ace’s. Furiosa had worked out trade agreements between the two towns and things were running fairly smoothly for two and a half weeks after such changes had been made.

Nux wanted to see Capable, but he had to see the Imperator first. He saw how the same thing that had once happened to the Green Place were starting to happen to the Alliel’s crops and he wanted to help to stop it. At least Jag was eager to press his foot down on the gas to get them to the Citadel quicker.

Nux kept his head down as he followed after Jag to see the Imperator. He didn't want too many people to know until he saw the Imperator and Capable. Luckily, he managed to avoid most of the war boys as they were either on patrol or working on projects. He waited at the door as Jag spoke to the Imperator.

“All yours,” Jag said as he exited the room, putting a hand on Nux’s shoulder before he left. Nux took a deep breath and exhaled before he entered the room. His hearing already told them that she wasn't alone and smells told him that it wasn't one of the sisters.

 

Furiosa and Max both looked shocked as they saw the man they believed to have died. Both didn't believe Jag when he told them that Nux was alive but they listened and had Jag bring Nux in.

They both had mourned the loss of the driver who had sacrificed himself for them. It had been Capable who had mourned the most for Nux but she had stayed strong until she couldn't.

“How?” was Furiosa’s only question. She spared a look at Max who was looking at her with one expression. _“You see him too?”_ She nodded.

“Someone found me and he brought me back to his people,” Nux said, “They saved me. Turned me.”

Furiosa’s brow furrowed as she heard the words that came out of Nux’s mouth. He didn't have his tumors and he should be heavily injured if the crash was anything to go off of. But he was alive and healthy.

“Turned y’?” Max spoke up for once. 

Nux opened his mouth as if to reply but instead closed it and then in a blink of an eye, a large white wolf stood in front of them. His head was inches below their heads and his eyes were bright blue. Both took a step back and then the wolf changed back into Nux who was standing.

"Turned me," Nux replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated!


	6. The White Wolf and the Frightened Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nux talks things over with Furiosa and Max before he reflects on everything that happened in the last few weeks,

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I promise Capable will be in the next chapter. This is probably the first chapter I wrote on a computer (I wrote the last five chapters from my phone and let me just say that the chapters look a lot longer on mobile) and one that I really sat down, thought out, edited, and used this amazing checker thing called ProWritingAid. I also really went back to my old writing style of reflection and character thoughts, please tell me what you think!

Max and Furiosa were silent as they were still processing that Nux had just turned into a creature and then turned back again. 

Max had seen such animals before the world had gone from waste to wasteland. And he had seen flashes of such creatures even after though dismissed it as his mind playing tricks on him. But he had never seen someone turn into one before. After he got over the shock and brief questioning of his sanity, he looked back at Furiosa to see what she thought.

Furiosa had seen such creatures - well creatures that looked like the one Nux had turned into - yet she had no name for them. She wasn’t very shocked as her step back had been more of an instinctual reaction than anything else. Furiosa had already seen more than a lifetime’s worth of hell, this new development she could accept. She had other matters to attend to than how Nux had been changed or why.

“These people you speak of,” Furiosa said after a pause, “What can you tell us about them?”

“They live over a half a day’s run away from here,” Nux answered. He struggled with what to tell the Imperator and Max about the shifters as he worried that the Imperator would try to raid them or go to war with them. _She isn’t the Immortan._ “I don’t know where they are but I could lead you there. But they are having trouble. They have a green place, but parts of it are turning like the Green Place.” He had seen their meager green wilting for no reason and the tree-things lost the green on them. 

Furiosa’s face softened for the barest of seconds as she thought of her home and what had become of it. She returned to business. “What do they have that could be of use to us?” She had already set up trade agreements with the new leaders of Gas Town and Bullet Town; she didn’t have a problem with setting up even more.

“They grow food,“Nux responded, struggling for the word that Gyllbane had used to describe the healing green, “calls them ‘crops’ and ‘herbs’. They hunt crows and other stuff. And they make things from the tree things and the surrounding stuff.” All of what the shifters did had been so new to him he struggled to remember what someone called them. Alistaire used a knife that wasn’t made from metal and scavenged stuff, but he said he had made it himself.

Furiosa’s gears were turning in her head she figured out what Nux was trying to say. These people had knowledge that the people of the Citadel needed that had been long gone before most of them could remember. Everything nowadays was scavenged and Furiosa knew that the resources were finite. But these people had the resources and knowledge to help them.

“I’ll see what the council thinks of sending a group to negotiate terms,” Furiosa said as she looked back at Max who had been silent for the entire time. And then she looked back at Nux. “On the floor below, down the left hallway, to the right is a spare room.”

Nux took that as a dismissal and was about to leave when he paused. “Just one thing,” he looked back at them, “keep the shifter thing a secret?” Furiosa and Max nodded without question and Nux left them.

Surely enough he found the room which had a worn, moth-eaten mattress and some metal parts lying around. There was a small desk off to the side made from what had been an old car hood and a chair made of metal parts welded and screwed together. It was better than his old quarters with barely a bed and not even a room.

He wanted to see Capable but she and the Sister’s scents weren’t fresh and he couldn’t hear them with his newly heightened senses. He was still in some kind of dazed shock as the weeks he had had with the shifters had been packed with new experiences and skills to learn. He sat down at the desk and he finally had time to process.

Nux didn’t know how he wrapped his mind around being a shifter. He had already survived a crash that would have killed him instantly, but instead he still clung to life long enough for Alistaire to change him. He turned the War Rig knowing that it would kill him. It had been different from all those times he had sprayed his mouth in silver and hoped that others would witness him. When Capable made the gesture of loss, he knew that he hadn’t been witnessed, but he would be remembered.

Part of him thought that this was a second chance at life without being sick as he had noticed that he no longer needed blood transfusions, had night fevers, and his windpipe wasn’t being gnawed on anymore. He could feel the cold metal of the manacle around his wrist and could feel the spot where the needle was supposed to be. But he didn’t need it anymore, he didn’t need to take from others.

Nux had a second chance at a new life without the Immortan and his rule. The days he had spent on the Fury Road with Capable, the Sisters, Furiosa, and Max had given him a taste of a life outside of being a war boy. And the weeks spent with the shifters had been eye-opening for him as well. He wanted more of that life, a life where he no longer lived to die a glorious, early death. 

Nux had a second chance at a new life without the Immortan and his rule. The days he had spent on the Fury Road with Capable, the Sisters, Furiosa, and Max had given him a taste of a life outside of being a war boy. And the weeks spent with the shifters had been eye-opening for him. He wanted more of that life, a life where he no longer lived to die a glorious, early death. 

Capable. Nux had been thinking of her ever since he had woken up and he wondered if she had been thinking of him. And what would she think of Nux now that he could turn into a wolf? Nux knew that he couldn’t keep it secret from her.

Nux realized that he felt something for her, a feeling that he had never felt towards someone else before. When he thought of that feeling, it had differed from every other feeling he had felt yet similar to the ones that he had cared about. It was the warmness in his chest when he thought of her, it felt like hope. There were so many other feelings in his chest now that ;he sat there. The weird warm feeling, fear, and hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and feedback are always appreciated.


	7. The White Wolf and the Citadel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I may have gotten off track with this chapter since I originally planned to include the Sisters but this was more of a quasi-exposition?? But I did keep my promise as this is does have Capable! I also have a new little divider thing between the changed Citadel and the Capable parts.
> 
> Did a lot of research and taking inspiration from others on what the changed Citadel would be. What are your thoughts?

The people of the Citadel had suffered under Joe’s rule and the new leaders of the Citadel worked to bring change.

The former milkers, now known as the Mothers, helped with the many War Pups, taking them in and teaching them new ways. The War Pups had been receptive so far as the women taught them more than just war and battle. They encouraged the young pups to ask questions, pursue interests, and to be children once again. The older ones were given choices what they wanted to be and were encouraged to take time to figure out what they wanted to be.

Once Furiosa recovered from her near-death experience, she set out to change the way the Citadel functioned. On Max’s advice, she set up the council composed of the Wives, now known as the Sisters, the last of the Vuvalini, Max, and people chosen by their respective groups. Max had referred to it as democracy and Toast backed him up with a book about history. The council also included Chaz of the Citizens, Maelis of the Mothers, and Revolver of the war boys.

Max was always at Furiosa’s side as he advised her with his knowledge of the world and his own experiences. His tactical knowledge was also helpful when the council discussed protecting the Citadel. He could be seen walking around, observing others. For once, he seemed at peace and he seemed more normal than he ever had; he was at peace.

Toast threw herself into the job of finding every piece of knowledge Joe had locked away that and any reading material the Citizens had. She found that Joe had many books locked away and Toast was quick to bring her notes to the ones that needed it whether it was books about leadership and government for the council, books about plants for the gardeners, and so on and so forth. Toast could be seen with her grey long-sleeved shirt and trousers, never without a book or notes in her hand. She soon set up a room of books called a “library” and soon others began to read.

The Dag took to the hydroponic garden Joe had set up and worked to expand it and planted more seeds so it could support everyone in the Citadel. She always wore a green tank top and trousers and never without her bag of seeds. Rainey of the Vuvalini also helped her with her own knowledge that came from the Green Place. The two experimented to see what would allow the plants to grow in the ground and what other ways they could grow plants. The duo devoured any books about gardening that Toast could find and had plans to teach the people of the Citadel to farm.

Cheedo dove into working with the Citizens alongside Karleen and Liza of the Vuvalini to improve the people’s lives. She had once been one the Wretched before Joe took her as a wife and many still remembered her and therefore trusted her. Cheedo worked to change the conditions they lived in starting with better housing and how they were treated. She was never without her braided blue headband, a green scarf, and a notebook to write everything she learned and brought any concerns from the citizens to the council. 

Capable worked with the War Boys that remained, doing what she could to help them adjust to a life without Joe. They were victims of Joe as much as she was and without Joe they were lost. Capable walked among them, wearing Nux’s goggles on her head, a pair of trousers, but still wore the top part of her whites. She was probably the first “full-life” to show them compassion and treated them like people and not canon fodder. She worked alongside Revolver, the elected leader of the War Boys and helped to implement the patrols and gave their lives structure and freedom.

Once Jag dropped of Nux at the Imperator’s office, he headed to the War Boys’ quarters where he was sure he would find Capable. He was still in shock about Nux’s return since the crash - according to others - would have killed the driver. The war boys didn’t grieve for their fallen as dying a glorious death had once been one of their goals in life. Though seeing one that should have been dead return with no injuries and without tumors was jarring.

Jag could tell from their walk up at Nux didn’t want the news of his survival to spread. But Capable wore Nux’s goggles and Jag figured that she might want to see Nux or at least know he was alive. So with his mind made up, he made his way down to the war boys’ quarters which had changed little since the change in leadership. There were no longer blood bags in cages - or cages at all - and the Organic Mechanic had been replaced with one of his apprentices, Stitch. 

After searching a few places, Jag caught sight of telltale red hair in the garage. She was alone and working on something though he couldn’t tell from where he was standing. The garage was empty since the war boys were either on patrol or were out and about which was what Capable encouraged. He cleared his throat and she looked up.

“Hey Jag,” Capable said with a smile as she got to her feet and dusted off her knees. This was the first she was alone and with nothing to do so she kept herself busy working by trying to fix a broken steering wheel. Over the last two weeks working with the war boys kept her busy. She knew they could change and her efforts paid off. 

 

Capable had her work cut out for her when she started with the war boys. War was all they knew and they had been brainwashed by Joe into seeking death with the belief that a glorious one would send them to Valhalla. She started by treating them with compassion and then moved on to giving them freedom and structure with patrols and free time so that they would have a life that wasn’t devoted just to war. And then she encountered a major obstacle with healing them, Joe’s teachings of Valhalla.

Toast had found her a several mythology books and Capable was quick to study them to see what she could learn. What she read made perfect sense why Joe would use Valhalla: those who died in battle went to Valhalla and those who died of sickness or old age went to the underworld known as Hel. Capable looked into other mythologies for their afterlife and after hours of pacing in her room trying to figure out what to do, she left the mythology books - excluding the Norse one - in the communal space she had established near the steering wheel altar. It worked out better than Capable had expected and the boys latched onto the myths since many felt like there was no longer Valhalla without Joe.

Capable then threw herself into learning alongside the boys and found that she had an interest in mechanic work though she also enjoyed tinkering with scavenged materials as well. She also joined patrols and learned from the war boys how to fight and how to shoot. Capable kept herself busy so she wouldn’t have to deal the the grief.

 

“What’s wrong?” Capable asked as she saw the look on Jag’s face. 

“I found someone on patrol,” Jag answered and paused, “Nux”. Capable solemnly made the Vuvalini gesture of loss, slowly holding her hand out, closing her palm, and bringing it towards her heart. Jag noticed that she always made that sign when someone dead was mentioned.

“Where is-” Capable started to say as the news had been something she had been expecting, albeit late. She didn’t know if she wanted to see his body, but perhaps it would bring her peace. Capable had been trying for weeks to keep her mind off of Nux since she had to stay strong and repair the Citadel. A small part of her hoped that he had survived, though she knew that there was little chance he did. Capable knew that if she came to terms with it, if she allowed herself to grieve, she would fall apart.

“He’s alive,” Jag said softly and Capable looked up at him in shock. “Me, Ripper, and Cutter found him on patrol. He was all healed up and asked if he could see Furiosa. I took him there.” Jag babbled, not sure of what else to do. And then he paused. “Capable, are you okay?”

“Th-Thank you for informing me, Jag,” Capable said when she could finally form words again, “I need to see th-the Imperator.” Jag nodded in understanding, though he didn’t expect her to drop everything and run out of the garage at the speed she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, feedback, and suggestions are greatly appreciated! I could also use some name suggestions for characters such as war boys, mothers, citizens, ect. (especially war boys because I am struggling with that)
> 
> Nuxable is coming in a chapter or two, I promise!


End file.
